Category Archives: Hardware

New Toy: HP 143 Wide-Screen Oscilloscope Mainframe Restoration – [Part 1]

Posted on August 14, 2014 by jwk

At the risk of becoming a test equipment collector, I am picking up a few pieces of vintage test equipment that need some work, but will be very useful pieces of shop gear as well as interesting pieces of history … Continue reading →

Posted in Collections, Electronics, Hardware, Projects, Test Equipment, Toys, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

For Sale: The KN0CK and KF7LZE RTLSDR for HF Rev. 5!

Posted on January 28, 2014 by jwk

I’m happy to announce that Rev 5 of the KN0CK and KF7LZE RTLSDR for HF is now available for sale in its 5th iteration – now featuring Direct Sampling, while still keeping the familiar wide-band pre-amplifier! On account of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Electronics, Gadgets, Hardware, Radio | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Coming Soon: KN0CK and KF7LZE RTLSDR Receiver Rev. 5!

Posted on January 6, 2014 by jwk

Edited 6/10/2014: Now for sale directly at KF7LZE.net! I’m proud to announce that in just a few days, Easy-Kits.com in cooperation with KN0CK will be releasing Rev. 5 of the popular RTLSDR Integrated Upconverter with a brand new design and … Continue reading →

Posted in Electronics, Gadgets, Hardware, Radio | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Bad Capacitors Strike Again

Posted on February 5, 2013 by jwk

I’m working on another Bose 901 Series 1 equalizer. It looks to be the same manufacturing run as the first one I wrote up last July, uses the same components, and those components look like they’ve had the same failure … Continue reading →

Posted in Electronics, Hardware | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Shortwave Radio Reception with the RTL-SDR Dongle

Posted on August 6, 2012 by jwk

Need your own upconverter? Click here! I bought and did a quick setup on my RTLSDR dongle using SDR# a few weeks ago, where I used it to listen to FM radio stations around my area and a few public … Continue reading →

Posted in Electronics, Hardware, Projects, Radio | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Build Log and Review: Mable Audio VT-86PP Kit Hi-Fi Amp Project

Posted on March 30, 2012 by jwk

About a year ago, someone left a comment that really looked like spam on one of my pages advertising a web store selling tube audio gear and parts for guitar and audio amplifiers. Against everything I’ve ever learned about behaving … Continue reading →

Posted in Electronics, Hardware, Photos, Projects, Radios and Tubes, Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Unboxing my Sharp PC-4501 classic Personal Computer

Posted on January 9, 2012 by jwk

It’s 1987 and I’ve been needing a new laptop. After a careful process of comparison shopping I settled on my Sharp PC-4501 from Montgomery Ward. Let’s open it up and take a look! For only $699.99, it’s a state of … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Electronics, Hardware, Photos, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Testing Salvaged CCFLs

Posted on August 26, 2011 by jwk

I scrounged these up a while back and just now decided to test them out as a part of another project I’m starting. They’re CCFL bulbs, cold cathode fluorescent lamps. Each driver powers two lamps; I have 8 connected. Naturally, they’re … Continue reading →

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Dumpster Diving: Samsung 225BW LCD Repair

Posted on August 22, 2011 by jwk

I found a Samsung 225BW LCD sitting on top of my apartment’s dumpster, and figured I’d drag it upstairs. It’s a few year old model but it’s better than the current older Dell LCD that I’ve been using (1680×1050 versus 1440×900). … Continue reading →

Posted in Electronics, Hardware, Projects | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Burned Up Aiphone

Posted on March 10, 2011 by jwk

This is what happens when you connect the high level output of an audio amplifier, to an input designed to be hooked up to an MP3 player or other line level audio source. This Aiphone PA amplifier was incorrectly installed … Continue reading →

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